Children at a Port Moody preschool are cleaning up their neighbourhood one pile of poop at a time.
The three- and four-year-olds at Childgarden Preschool wooed city officials with letters and brightly coloured posters urging action against people who don't pick up after their dog.
"It was a way to teach them [the preschoolers] about their civic responsibilities, at the same time getting this area cleaned up," said Caren Eigenmann, who, with Susan Woodward, owns the preschool on Spring Street.
The campaign started after the snow melted and a shopping bag of dog waste had to be cleared from the boulevard next to the school. The student's entreaties resulted in the city supplying the school with a garbage can and the students taped posters to trees in the area asking dog owners to pick up after their pets. They provided dog waste bags, too.
"It seems to have worked," Woodward said, pointing to the grassy area appearing clean of dog waste.
The early childhood educators say they want their students to take an active role in city life. Childgarden preschool also provides the Share Family Community Services food bank with veggies grown in a little patch behind the school.
"We're really trying to teach empathy, understanding and respect for everyone regardless of their circumstances," Eigenmann told The Tri-City News.
Last week, Eigenmann was awarded the prime minister's award for excellence in early childhood education and went to Ottawa with her family to meet PM Justin Trudeau. In 2012, Woodward won the same award.
The nomination letter said Eigenmann inspires her classroom with lessons about social justice and encourages empathy through art, play and books.
Also receiving an award from the PM was Greg Skerratt, a Grades 6 to 8 technology teacher at Kwayhquitlum middle school in Port Coquitlam. He was lauded for encouraging creative thought and invention, and for helping students follow their passions.
He is a lead teacher with School District 43's Sphero coding project and has taken a leadership role in ensuring his students understand how to be responsible digital citizens. Skerratt also pioneered and implemented a Zero Waste program at the school.
